Arrigo Sacchi, the former Milan coach and ex-Italy manager, has shared a sharp critique of Juventus following their 1–0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage at the Santiago Bernabéu.
“After two draws, Juventus have now suffered their first Champions League defeat,” Sacchi noted in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport (via Calciomercato) . “People will say that losing away to Real Madrid is acceptable, something to be expected — but the reality is the Bianconeri still haven’t won a single match in Europe. It’s been over a month now, between league and cup games, since their last victory.”
Sacchi pointed to deeper issues behind the current slump under Igor Tudor. “It’s clear that the team is going through a tough period — otherwise they wouldn’t have lost the way they did in Como. In such cases, the only remedy is to lower your head and get back to work, aware that improvement is always possible. Nothing is lost, but in the Champions League they must change their rhythm and, above all, show greater courage.”
The former coach expressed concern about Juventus’ declining dominance. “The result at the Bernabéu creates tension because it’s now seven matches without a win. I understand the fans’ unease. It’s been several years since Juventus displayed that sense of leadership that used to define their DNA,” he said. “If I’m not mistaken, the last league title came with Maurizio Sarri on the bench — that was the 2019–20 season. Over the past five years, the evolution fans expected simply hasn’t happened.”
Sacchi then reflected on how Juventus’ reputation as Italy’s model club has faded. “In Italy, Juventus were always the team to beat and the organisation to emulate — not just in the past century but in the modern era. The success achieved under Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri expanded the trophy cabinet and the fanbase. But then, roughly coinciding with the outbreak of COVID, a period of decline began, one that still hasn’t ended.”
Turning to the club’s internal decisions, Sacchi did not mince words. “To have the right recipe, you’d need to be inside the environment and know its machinery perfectly,” he said. “From the outside, I can only say that some decisions have been quite questionable. I’m thinking in particular of hiring Thiago Motta as coach last season — and of the lack of support the club gave him. That’s not discounting any mistakes he made himself, because of course he made some. But who helped him correct them?”
Sacchi highlighted the instability within the club’s structure as a major factor. “Recently, Juventus have undergone changes in several key roles. It’s only logical that without continuity in methodology, achieving objectives takes longer,” he continued. “One of the criticisms aimed at today’s Juventus is that the players aren’t top-level despite heavy spending. I’d say that rather than high-level players, what Juventus truly lack is a style of play.”
He offered a pointed reminder from recent history. “Think back to when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo — at the time the most high-profile player in the market. They won two league titles, yes, but were eliminated from the Champions League by Ajax in the quarter-finals and Lyon in the round of 16. And do you know why? Because at the international level, the difference is made by the quality of play — and Juventus didn’t have it.”
Finally, Sacchi called for a fundamental reset. “I believe the club must concentrate on developing a technical project that is financially sustainable and shared by the directors,” he concluded. “Such a project should place the coach at its centre, giving him full responsibility for market choices. A manager cannot be expected to work with players that don’t fit his footballing ideas. Only by following this path can Juventus return to the highest levels and once again exercise that leadership which has always been part of their nature. And perhaps next time they play at the Bernabéu, they’ll do so as dominators.”
